Eddie Olczyk

Perry Lefko

Eddie Olczyk had built a life and career most people could only dream of. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, he fell in love with the game of hockey during an era when most kids preferred balls to pucks. Against all odds, he played on the 1984 U.S. Olympic hockey team as a 17-year-old, and four months later he was drafted in the first round by his hometown Chicago Blackhawks. During an illustrious 16-year career, he played for and alongside some of the greatest franchises and players in history, winning a Stanley Cup with the unforgettable 1994 New York Rangers. Years later, he coached former teammate Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby on the Pittsburgh Penguins before transitioning into the broadcast booth, where he has become one of the most recognizable voices of the sport. He then combined his skills as an analyst with his second passion-- horse racing--and became an integral part of NBC's coverage of thoroughbreds. Away from the spotlight, Olczyk and his wife of three decades raised four adoring children. He was respected and admired by fans, friends, and peers. Life was sweet. Then, at 7:07 pm on August 4, 2017, his entire world turned upside down. In Eddie Olczyk: Beating the Odds in Hockey and in Life, one of the biggest names in American hockey has written an inspiring and entertaining memoir of his life both on and off the ice. From shooting hundreds of tennis balls at a goal in his childhood living room to the ups and downs of his improbable hockey career to rollicking stories from the booth and the backstretch, Olczyk guides readers on his journey toward his ultimate test: a battle against Stage 3 colon cancer. For years, Olczyk's goal was to be the best husband, father, broadcaster, and handicapper he could be. Today he has a new one: to bring as much awareness and support to those fighting cancer as he possibly can. In this emotional but often hilarious autobiography, you'll learn why the people who know Eddie Olczyk best might describe him as "tremendously tremendous."

Beating the Odds in Hockey and in Life

In 2004, Michael "Pinball" Clemons became the first black coach in the history of the CFL to hoist the Grey Cup in victory, the culmination of an experience that began when he came to Canada in 1989 as an unheralded American football player deemed too small to make it in the National Football League. Not only did Clemons make it big—literally and figuratively—in the Canadian Football League in a career that spanned 11½ seasons, but he cultivated a reputation as an enduring Canadian figure. In between dazzling people with his on-field exploits that resulted in winning the Most Valuable Player in the Canadian Football League in 1990, he became a Most Valuable Person off the field, too, giving generously of his time to charity and causes. His motivational speaking abilities at countless events have wowed his listeners. And throughout this period, Clemons began to realize that he wanted to make Canada his full-time home, embracing the country that, in turn, has embraced him. The book will focus on how it all came to be and how Mike Clemons’ special qualities contributed to making him an enduring Canadian personality, well known beyond the city of Toronto where he became the most popular athlete. It will describe his tremendous natural leadership skills and important inspirational messages to Canadians.

The Making of a Canadian Hero

Pinball

Sandy Hawley

In the world of thoroughbred racing and certainly in the chronicles of Canadian sports, diminutive Sandy Hawley stands tall as a legend, admired as much for his class as his riding ability. The native of Oshawa, Ontario became one of the greatest jockeys of his generation, graduating from his Canadian roots to become one of the best in North America. Hawley rode for a thirty-year period, during which he won 6,449 of 31,445 races, including a record-tying four Queens Plate, Canadas premier horse race. His mounts earned in the excess of $88 million, which placed him in the top 10 overall when he retired in 1998. He won the Eclipse Awardthe equivalent of the Oscaras North Americas top jockey, twice was named the winner of the Lour Marsh Award as Canadas top athleteprevious to him no jockey had ever been a recipientand received the order of Canada. Yet Sandy Hawleys story is not all about glory, celebrity, and wins. He suffered two failed marriages, which drained much of his income, and had his financial status impacted severely by income-tax problems. He also waged a battle to extricate himself from a contract that threatened his career just when it started to soar. But by far his biggest challenge became a battle with melanoma, a form of skin cancer. He successfully overcame and ultimately beat the disease, yet even more impressive was his resolve and determination to ride again. For the racing aficionados, this book captures all the great moments that made Hawley a star that has stood the test of time. But more than anything, its a depiction of a person, his successes and his failures, and more than anything, his humanity.

The Sandy Hawley Story

Ride of a Lifetime

Colleen Jones

Curling legend Colleen Jones opens up about her extraordinary career and life Curling is possibly the most beloved sport across Canada, and Colleen Jones has been one of its brightest stars. She was only nineteen years old when she won her first provincial championship, and she became the youngest skip, at age twenty-two, ever to win the Canadian women's curling championship: the Tournament of Hearts. She went on to win it a total of six times, with an unprecedented four in a row in the early 2000s, along with her two world championships. No other women’s team has matched that record. Here, she tells the stories of her remarkable career—from the pure joy of the game to outworking her competition, year after year, always striving to be just a little bit better. But Colleen’s story is about more than a love of curling. As a champion at the pinnacle of her sport, as a popular CBC broadcaster, and as a mother of two, Colleen Jones seemed to have it all. Then a serious illness struck, and threatened ti rob her of all she had worked for. But Colleen, determined as ever, emerged with a renewed love of life and a powerful message about achieving authentic personal fulfillment. Throwing Rocks at Houses is a candid, charming and thoughtful story about rising to the top only to learn how easily it can all be taken away. Whether career, family, or personal health, her amazing journey reveals, more than anything, all that matters most in life.

My Life in and out of Curling

Throwing Rocks at Houses

Bret Hart

Each week, millions of enthusiastic wrestling fans in over 100 countries tune in to watch their hero, Bret "Hitman" Hart, strut his stuff in and out of the ring. Hitman is a charismatic and imposing 235 pounds of super-might on the mat. He has punched, slammed, kicked, pummeled, and crushed his way to five World Heavyweight Championships, with two Intercontinental titles and two World Tag Team titles to his name. One of the most technically proficient and skilled performers in professional wrestling history, Bret Hart consistently dazzles his fans and crushes his opponents. With a contract valued in the millions, his performances significantly contribute to the WCWs Pay-for-View televised audiences, numbering in the millions Bret "Hitman" Hart is a provocative account of the building of a legend, from Bret's early days with his family, his entrance into amateur wrestling and the pro ranks, and his famous battles and skirmishes, such as his memorable and surprising run-in with Goldberg at the Toronto "Nitro" night -- all lavishly illustrated with photographs (many never seen before) from his early years to the present, including those with celebrities from sports and entertainment. Bret also writes personally about his brother Owen and his tragic death, and the strong bond that existed between them.

The Best There Is, the Best There Was, the Best There Ever Will Be

Bret 'Hitman' Hart

The author recounts his career in professional wrestling and shares his feelings about his brother, also a professional wrestler, who was killed in a tragic accident

Perry Lefko

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